Reflections:After Gatsby
by BlueSamurai18
Summary: None of them will ever forget that summer;even as they go about their lives. For better, or for worse Jay Gatsby changed them. Whatever the case the roaring twenties is but the calm before the storm. They will all witness history being made;but for now they focus on healing the wounds left in the wake of Gatsby's death.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **Nick**

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 ** _Time is like wax, dripping from a candle flame. In the moment, it is molten and falling, with the capability to transform into any shape. Then the moment passes, and the wax hits the table top and solidifies into the shape it will always be. It becomes the past – a solid single record of what happened, still holding in its wild curves and contours the potential of every shape it could have held._**

 _ **-** **Cecil Gershwin Palmer** **Welcome to Night Vale** _

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As Nick Carraway sat on the train back to Chicago, he thought back to that summer, the summer of Gatsby. Jay Gatsby, the only non selfish person left in the world, was dead. Jay Gatsby; who had ambition, who would do anything to make a life, not just for himself; but for the girl he loved; a man who always looked at that little green light at the end of the dock. Only Gatsby did not realize that light was forever out of his reach. No matter how close you got, no one could reach it; because that light was not as bright as it seemed to be. Not as bright as it might have been four years before; or maybe it wasn't all that bright to begin with, maybe Daisy was always the same selfish coward she is now. Perhaps any light; no matter how dim, shined bright to a man who spent his life in darkness. Either way Nick couldn't stand her after what she did. Left Gatsby to take the blame for what she did. And never even sent his funeral flowers, those flowers were Wolfsheim's; who turned out to be more loyal, more noble than the Buchanans will ever be. He truly saw Daisy for what she was now; a shallow, vain, selfish woman who used others like a spoiled child with a toy; loving it one minute, playing with it till it breaks, crying over it for a bit, than moving on to the next, shiny new object until the process began again.

If Daisy Fay Buchanan was like a toddler than Tom was like a Leech., 'Tom Buchanan is like a parasite', Nick thought to himself, 'only instead of blood, he feeds on relationships. Sucking the life out of them, for as long as possible, until only a dried out shell remains and then leaving the husks for the vultures.' And such a hypocrite too, lecturing Daisy on adultery, and families falling apart ,when he himself was a notorious adulterer;he himself had destroyed the relationship of The Wilsons. Nick also remembered Tom's words the night of the accident,"looks like Wilson will finally get some business." Tom didn't care someone might have died, until it turned out to be his mistress!

Tom also Chastised Gatsby on his means of income when he himself went to speakeasies on multiple occasions; not only that, but probably bought alcohol from the very drugstores that he was so livid about! Hell, Tom should have thanked him; for giving him the Whiskey that fueled his parties in that Brooklyn apartment with Myrtle's sister, and Friends. Talking about how Gatsby would have to steal Daisy's wedding ring!,"'You aren't worth the dirt on Gatsby's shoe Thomas Edward Buchanan!"' Nick had wanted to tell him, when he ran into Tom again. But he didn't say that; thinking back Nick realized what a coward he was.

Lost deep in his thoughts; he didn't see the conductor; a tall, muscular Irish man in his mid thirties; with a prominent Jaw,greasy brown hair, and piercing green eyes approach him, nor did he hear him ask for his ticket. The poor man had to repeat himself. Nick only noticed when the Conductor Grabbed his shoulder.,"I said Ticket please!", the Conductor Exclaimed.

"Oh, that's right; here you go.", Nick said; realizing that people were starting to look at him; he had created a scene Nick Realized embarrassed, he apologized."Sorry, i'm afraid i got a lot on my mind.".,Nick Admitted; ashamed; the Irish man began to chuckle,"No, It's alright after all; ye gave me the ticket after all didn' Ye, old sport! 'ell, _I_ should be the one apologisn' wha' fer Grabbn' Ya like that!", he said with an apologetic tone. Nick did a double take. The man had called him 'Old sport' It was at that point the man reminded Nick of Gatsby, If Gatsby was a tall irish man, of course!,"What's with tha' face?,the Conductor asked;"It's as if ye've seen a ghost or som'thon!" The Conductor than stated,"well enough chat, i've got a hundred other passengers to go ta,but if you need anything; ask for Jimmy O'Brian, and i'll get ya what you need." With that he went on to other passengers. That one conversation gave Nick a bit of hope he desperately needed; and while he still had no faith in the current world he smiled. The world needed more people like Jay Gatsby, and Jimmy O'Brian. Nick Began to look out the window as the grey, dreary surroundings of The city turned into the green, rolling hills of the countryside. Maybe there was hope; no matter how minuscule, there was still a tiny glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. He only hoped that Jimmy O'Brian would not make the same mistakes as Jay Gatsby. Than Nick's hope began to fade away; knowing the way the world works, hard working men like Jimmy O'Brian,Jay Gatsby, and George Wilson are always brought to the bottom.

 **A/n So this was my attempt to write an epilogue to the** _ **Great Gatsby**_ **for a school project. I have actually come up with an entire story. And i'm trying to get an A! Also a warning in future chapters there will be more OCs, Historic figure insertion, and a bit of what i call** _ **Ancestor Insertion**_ **, it's like self insertion except with your Ancestors, and therefore much less likely to create Mary Sues because you don't tend to look through rose colored glasses when it's based on stories you heard through your grandparents. Or maybe it's just me looking at the dysfunction that is both sides of my family! Some of whom you will meet later in the story. Jimmy O'Brian however is an Original character. This is my first story on Fanfiction so please tell me what you think. Constructive Criticism is wanted!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2** **Daisy** **A/N I updated! This chapter,as you know from the title is from Daisy's perspective;i'm gonna split chapters and storylines between the many characters so sorry about that we will get back to Nick in a few chapters, or so.** While a passenger steamer to europe sounded rather relaxing, and romantic in theory; the truth was ships always freaked out Daisy. she was always nervous that they might be trapped at sea because if someone misinterpreted directions, they would be beached, or the ship would sink. When the _Titanic_ Struck an iceberg, and sank in 1912; well, that only increased her fears of passenger ships. Still, she was here, on a Promenade deck the warm summer wind blowing across her face; laying down on a brown deck chair trying not to think about the merciless ocean below the steel plated ship. Even worse the ship was the _Olympic_ sister ship to the _Titanic_. Renovations after the war, or not it was still _Horribly_ outdated. She begged Tom not to go on a passenger Steamer, but as always he didn't listen.,"i went on the ship as a child.",he explained,"It would be nice to relive old memories."

But, as always she had to keep a happy face to stop Pammy from worrying. That was her life for the past five years; keeping a happy face to please the world. It was what keeped her from leaving Tom when he was in a car crash with his mistress;she simply had too much pride to admit when she was hurt. It was also partially the reason she didn't realize how much she missed Jay; It wasn't until he was back in her life that she felt happiness again. She felt not like Daisy Buchanan; depressed, disillusioned housewife putting on a happy, joking face to please everyone; and more like Daisy Fay, the carefree girl in love for the first time. Jay made her complete!

And she left him to take the blame for something _She_ did! Daisy had left one of the men she loved to die for _Her_ reputation. She may have worn a White sundress today; but she will always feel like it was stained red; stained from the blood of two people who didn't deserve to die. But then not only she would die but also- no, she won't think of Gatsby's death; it probably wasn't healthy anyway to obsess over someone who was gone. She should just forget him for now like she forgot him five years ago. **  
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Daisy would never forgive herself;even many years from now when she was old. Even if she was carrying something to remember him by; she hadn't told either Jay, or Tom as they would get even more upset; she was with child, and she now believed it was Gatsby's. When she first found out she had fooled herself into thinking it was Tom's; even though he hasn't touched her in years. three days ago she had told Tom about it; told him this was _His_ child; and well, a night of leaving Pammy with the Nanny on the cruise that to what he considered his second honeymoon; he called it, "Starting anew." it was believable. Tom didn't force himself on her, lord knows he isn't _That_ selfish. No, she supposed she did it to distract herself from her guilt.

Suddenly, she was brought out of her train of thought when Pammy called to her from across the promenade deck; complaining about how nanny wouldn't let her Curl her hair; When she reached her mother she told her why she wanted to curl her hair ,"So i can look like aunt Jordan",Pammy cried. Daisy comforted her, explaining she told Nanny not to let her; as it was dangerous for girls her age, she will have Margret, her own personal hairdresser; curl Pammy's hair on her fifth birthday. Pammy seemed disappointed with her mother's answer;stating that she can't wait to turn five,when she could finally curl her hair.

Daisy sighed, wishing that she was closer to Pammy. But, then again; childcare was below women of her stature; that was what Nannies, and wet nurses were for, after all. And once she was school age, her boarding school would do the same. Daisy's own mother wasn't close to her, nor her mother before her. This is the way it's always been, and always will be. Besides, she wouldn't know what to _Do_ with her daughter for more than a few conversations. She was sad she wasn't close to her beautiful little fool; but there was nothing she could do about it. It would be the same way with the new baby;whether she wanted it, or not. She was taught etiquette, piano,regular curriculum, and managing money; she was never taught how to parent,or that there were other people outside her social bubble. She wished she had gotten that lesson instead of those forced dance lessons; then maybe Jay would still be alive.

She had wanted to go to the funeral; she really did. But her father passed away of Tuberculosis and she had to go to the funeral all the way down in Kentucky. She remembered taking an airplane for the first time; and while that was exciting, and she could get to Louisville in an hour; two funerals in one week would have just been depressing. Even if it was Jay's; and she did send flowers.

Even more saddening was the fact that Nick had gone back to Chicago; when she asked Jordan why; the golf star merely shrugged, and suggested that maybe he had gotten homesick. Daisy supposed that made sense, after all he had been rather mopey for the past few days. She had _Tried_ to make Nick feel welcome, but he was always a homebody anyway; so maybe this was to be expected. Still, she hoped he would get home safely. After all, chicago was a few days journey by train from Long island. And trains were safe; Unlike this godforsaken ship; but she could look on the brightside. Cherbourg was just two days away after all.

 **A/N Well, another chapter down! So, the plot thickens Daisy is pregnant with Gatsby's child and lamenting on what she did. Also, we get to see her Relationship with Pammy. I always had a feeling that she really cared about Pammy,she just has an awful way of showing it And where is Tom? Well, let's just say old habits die hard. He is *ahem* "Bonding" with a stewardess on the ship.**


End file.
